Linda and anyone else interested,

What is phylogenetic order and why use it:

What you referred to as "ornithological order" is usually called
phylogenetic order. The phylogenetic order (which someone else called the
"taxonomic order") is essentially the order in which the birds were
theorized to have evolved. Birds earlier in the list are believed to have
branched off of "the evolutionary tree" at a lower point. While some loon
species may have evolved recently, the loon group is believed to have
branched off from something closer to the dinosaurs than say, the finches.
The finches in turn are believed to have branched off from something closer
to the sparrows or orioles. The scientists are always re-arranging the
order as they develop new theories of the path of evolution and now as they
do genetic testing. The current order accepted by the American
Ornithologist's Union is at this website:
http://www.aou.org/aou/birdlist.html

While it took me a while to become familiar with the phylogenetic order of
birds and other organism groups I've studied, I've learned a lot about their
relationships by becoming familiar with (though not knowing it exactly) the
phylogenetic order. When you see that the creepers come before the wrens a
light goes on! You look at the two birds and see that they are related.
Then you see that the thrashers are not far from the creepers and notice
that the thrashers look like big creepers (there are also actual big
creepers in the tropics). You also see that the thrashers look similar to
the thrushes. Maybe there was an ancestor of both that evolved from the
creepers that then split into the thrushes and thrashers.

I'm glad that you are going to use phylogenetic order.

Stewart Wechsler
West Seattle
mailto:ecostewart at quidnunc.net


-----Original Message-----
From: TWEETERS-owner at u.washington.edu
[mailto:TWEETERS-owner at u.washington.edu]On Behalf Of Linda B
Sent: Monday, March 22, 2004 6:36 PM
To: Tweeters
Subject: 'Ornithological Order'


Tweeters--I am leading a monthly bird walk at Lake Wilderness Arboretum and
compiling a list of the species we see to eventually make into a bird check
list for arboretum visitors. I've given the newsletter editor the list to
date (43 species) in ornithological order, and she's thinking about changing
the list into alphabetical order. I told her the final check list will be
in ornithological order, and she's asked me to write something for the
newsletter explaining ornithological order--something that would be easily
understood by the novice. And I realize that I really don't know why this
order is used myself! Does anyone have a good explanation?

Thanks!

Linda Bartlett
Kent, WA